Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis have agreed on terms to fight again for the undisputed heavyweight championship. Now promoter Don King must find a date and a site willing to pay millions for a tarnished rematch.
King said Sunday that both fighters want the bout in September, and that both would be guaranteed $15 million for the rematch. Possible sites include New York, Las Vegas, London and South Africa.The fight is far from a done deal, however. Among the issues remaining are terms of a pay-per-view deal with HBO, and whether the network and promoters for Lewis will agree to a fight in which King retains a major role.
Additionally, HBO has already reserved a September pay-per-view date for its other star fighter, Oscar De La Hoya.
"We have no deal struck for a rematch," said HBO senior vice president Lou DiBella, whose network has a long-term contract with Lewis. "We haven't sat down yet and spoken to Lewis and his people."
The paydays would represent a $5 million cut for Holyfield and a $5 million increase for Lewis from their March 13 fight that ended in a controversial draw.
"It's parity and that's important," Lewis' manager, Frank Maloney, said.
King said he received Holyfield's signature for a rematch Saturday. Lewis had a clause in his contract for the first fight calling for him to get $15 million in any rematch.
"This is the only corrective we have in boxing ... when we have a dispute is to have a rematch," King told Fox News Channel from his Florida home.
Holyfield kept his WBA and IBF titles while Lewis retained his WBC title when three ringside judges decided the 12-round bout that Lewis appeared to dominate was actually a draw.